Abstract: Surgical instruments and their methods of use are disclosed. In some embodiments, the surgical instrument may include a handle and an elongated shaft extending distally from the handle. The surgical instrument may also include a fastener deployment system for deploying fasteners from the elongated shaft including a reciprocating driveshaft disposed within the elongated shaft. In other embodiments, the fastener deployment system may include a follower disposed within the elongated shaft for displacing one or more fasteners within the elongated shaft towards a distal fastener deployment position. In some embodiments, the surgical instrument may include a removable preload lock-out attached to the elongated shaft to prevent the follower from applying a preload to the fasteners.

Abstract: A method of non-line-of-sight (NLoS) obstacle detection for an ego vehicle is described. The method includes capturing a sequence of images over a period with an image capture device. The method also includes storing the sequence of images in a cyclic buffer. The method further includes registering each image in the cyclic buffer to a projected image. The method includes performing the registering by estimating a homography H for each frame of the sequence of images to project to a view point of a first frame in the sequence of images and remove motion of the ego vehicle in the projected image. The method also includes enhancing the projected image. The method further includes classifying the projected image based on a scene determination. The method also includes issuing a control signal to the vehicle upon classifying the projected image.

Abstract: An autonomous system with no Customer Network Investment is described, wherein the system is configurable to operate on in a band in addition to the LTE band. Such system allows the definition of hybrid operations to accommodate the positioning reference signals (PRS) of LTE and already existing reference signals. The system can operate with PRS, with other reference signals such as cell-specific reference signals (CRS), or with both signal types. As such, the system provides the advantage of allowing network operator(s) to dynamically choose between modes of operation depending on circumstances, such as network throughput and compatibility. The system further enables information collected at a network device to be processed at a locate server without involving any processing at the network device.

Abstract: In an industrial automation system, a control device adapted to a container-based architecture has been developed. The control device may comprise one or more containers instantiated with control execution application, communication application, and or redundancy management application.

Abstract: An extended wear electrocardiography and physiological sensor monitor is provided. An electrode patch includes an integrated flexible circuit having a single piece of material that includes a longitudinal midsection between upper and lower ends and a mirror image shape of the upper end extending from at least a portion of one side of the upper end that runs substantially parallel to the midsection and folds over the upper end. A receptacle is adhered on an outward surface of the mirror image when the integrated circuit is folded over the upper end. One electrode is positioned on a contact surface of the integrated circuit on the upper end and another electrode is positioned on the contact surface on the lower end. A battery is directly adhered to the outward surface of the mirror image and positioned under the receptacle. A monitor is configured to be removably secured in the receptacle.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for processing queries in a database system having a first database engine and a second database engine. The method includes: encrypting at least one predefined column of a first instance of a first table, resulting in a second instance of the first table containing at least part of the data of the first table in encrypted format. It may be determined whether to execute a received query in the first database engine on the first instance of the first table or in the second database engine on the second instance of the first table, where the determination involves a comparison of the query with encryption information.

Abstract: An activity-monitoring device for positioning on a body of a user or on an orthopedic device is provided. The device has a housing that encloses a circuit board assembly having a sensor that monitors movement of the circuit board assembly. The housing may be secured to the body of a user or orthopedic device with an dressing. The dressing can include a film layer to which the housing is adhered by an adhesive. The dressing can include a contact layer that is configured to attach to the user or to an orthopedic device.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure include systems and methods for profile switching by the computing device. In an example, a computing device may include a memory storing instructions and a processor communicatively coupled with the memory and configured to execute the instructions. The processor may receive a request to initiate a new instance of a website. The processor may also determine a domain name of the website in response to the request. The processor may also determine a first user profile from a plurality of user profiles that corresponds to the domain name based on profile information corresponding to one or more of profile history data, profile favorites data, or administrative settings data. The processor may also launch the new instance of the web site in a browser according to the first user profile.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a fluid control system is provided comprising a servicing tool set and at least one valve assembly comprising an actuator and a valve operationally engageable therewith; each valve comprising a valve body; each actuator comprising an actuator body having an upper base and side walls; wherein each actuator body is engageable with a valve body, and wherein the system is configured to allow: engaging the servicing tool set with an actuator and subsequently applying torque to an actuator body engaged with a valve body and thereby disengaging the actuator body from the valve body; the at least one valve assembly comprising at least one Normally Closed (NC) valve; wherein the NC valve is configured to allow activating an actuator engaged therewith with pressurized fluid and thereby opening the NC valve, wherein the actuator comprises a nipple and the servicing tool set comprises a ratchet and at least one socket engageable with the actuator body, and wherein the at least one socket is sized

Abstract: A battery system (100) which comprises a metallic battery housing (200) and a metallic component housing (300), wherein at least one battery module (10) having at least one battery cell (12) and a control unit (20) for controlling and monitoring the at least one battery module (10) are arranged in the battery housing (200) and wherein at least one electrical component (80) is arranged in the component housing (300), which electrical component is electrically connected to the at least one battery module (10).

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a plurality of mandrel cuts from a first set of mandrels of a base structure using lithography, surrounding the first set of mandrels and a second set of mandrels of the base structure with spacer material to form mandrel-spacer structures, forming a flowable material layer on exposed surfaces of the mandrel-spacer structures, and performing additional processing, including forming a plurality of dielectric trenches within the base structure based on patterns formed in the flowable material layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for moving an actuator in an actuator device to a target position, wherein the actuator device comprises at least a motor, a transmission, and an actuator. The method comprises at least a determining step, an ascertaining step, a detecting step, and a generating step. A rotational rate of the motor is determined in the determining step using a motor voltage, a motor current, and a motor temperature. A speed of the actuator is ascertained in the ascertaining step using the rotational rate and a gear ratio translation factor of the transmission. A reconstructed position of the actuator is detected in the detecting step using the speed and a travel time. The control signal is generated in the generating step, which is configured to cause the actuator to move to the target position based on the reconstructed position.

Abstract: An automated method determines a safety zone for a robot. The robot carries out operations along a specified trajectory. For collision-free operation, a safety zone is determined by: dividing the specified trajectory into a plurality of subtrajectories; determining a plurality of fine-grained envelope cuboids around extreme points of each subtrajectory; and determining a number of optimized envelope cuboids from an enlargement of individual fine-grained envelope cuboids in relation to the volume occupied by the enlarged fine-grained envelope cuboids. The optimized envelope cuboids determined in this way form the safety zone for the trajectory. This automated method can be expanded to multiple trajectories of a robot, multiple robots, and replanning a trajectory for an occupied semaphore zone.

Abstract: Breathable residual-limb system that admits air and allows sweat to evaporate from the surface of the residual limb. In an embodiment, the system comprises a liner sock to be worn on the residual limb, and comprising air-permeable textile forming a substantially cylindrical portion that is closed on a distal end and open on a proximal end and comprising an internal surface and an external surface. The liner sock further comprises a friction-interface material that covers only a portion of the internal surface of the air-permeable textile, such that, when worn on the residual limb, the friction-interface material contacts a surface of the residual limb, and an uncovered portion of the air-permeable textile which the friction-interface material does not cover allows air to pass between an external environment of the liner sock and the surface of the residual limb.

Abstract: A storage system includes at least one storage unit that is configured to store at least one working material and at least one sensor unit configured to sense at least one state characteristic of the working material stored in the storage unit. The storage system also includes an allocation unit that is configured at least to allocate the at least one detected state characteristic to at least one target state characteristic.

Abstract: A stackable luggage system is provided. The system includes a plurality of suitcases including a primary suitcase and a secondary suitcase, wherein the plurality of suitcases each include a base, a plurality of sidewalls, and an upper end defining an interior volume. Each suitcase further includes an extendable support arm disposed within the base. The support arm can selectively move between an extended position and a retracted position. The support arm is dimensioned to retain a suitcase of the plurality of suitcases thereon when in the extended position. In some embodiments, a strap is affixed to a rear side of each suitcase, wherein the strap can secure the plurality of suitcases together.

Abstract: A headgear portion or assembly for use in combination with a breathing apparatus in some configurations is at least substantially inelastic and is three dimensional in shape. The headgear portion or assembly can comprise a plastic core, a substrate and a textile casing. The substrate and textile casing have retaining structures to attach the textile casings to the substrates and the substrates to each other.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (10) for at least partially closing an opening (5) of a cooking vessel (2), having a support element (11) which can be brought to rest on an opening edge (6) of the opening (5) of the cooking vessel (2), and a plug-in element (12) which can be inserted at least partially through the opening (5), characterized in that the plug-in element (12) has a locking means (13) which can be brought into a locking position (I) in which the locking means (13) interacts with the opening edge (6), so that pulling out (205) of the plug-in element (12) is prevented.

Abstract: Provided are a system and method for generating a database scheme for storing different types of data structures. In one example, the method includes receiving a first data object having a first data structure and a second data object having a second data structure that is different than the first data structure, generating a database scheme based on the first data structure and the second data structure, wherein the generated database scheme retains information about a structure of the first data structure and a structure of the second data structure, and storing the first data object and the second data object, in a database, according to the generated database scheme. According to various aspects, by at least partially retaining the original structure of the data objects, further searching and processing may be performed on different types of data objects stored in a relational database.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure may address education of users about options and may further address the choice of options to be recommended to a given user, based on the user's confidence about a chosen target asset price underlying the options. Methods directed to such applications may be computer-implemented or otherwise implemented.